Keeper Kristy Ricca is back in net for St. Joseph Hill this season. Photo: William Thomas

For the most part, the pieces fell seamlessly together for St. Joseph Hill the last three seasons.

Coach Tom Siller had been with the now graduated core group since they were seven years old. The Hilltoppers won two CHSAA Archdiocesan girls soccer titles over the three years and didn’t lose a regular season game during that time..

“We have to now find players who will step up and take the responsibility that those players had taken last year,” Siller said. “It’s a new challenge for this year.”

The good news for the coach and his squad, which features 10 new players, is that the majority of one of the city’s stingiest defenses are back. Goalkeeper Kristy Ricca, who had a breakout season a year ago, returns in net and has become more active and vocal. Heady sweeper Kristina Buccellato will again be patrolling the field and be flanked by Victoria Libertelli and Christina L’Insalata, who returns after injury.

“It’s definitely the strong point,” Buccellato said of the Hill back line. “But I think as the year progresses, the [midfielders] and forwards will get stronger.”

Goals might be hard to come by early. Siller is looking for a lot out of senior Stephanie Quinn and believes she is ready. She moves from outside midfielder to forward along with Jennifer Cosenza. L’Insalata will also help at midfield.

Alexandria D’Acunto is in the mix, along with a number of the team’s promising freshmen, for a spot at center midfield. Siller is excited about speedy sophomore Brooke Gravante.

“We are still [in the] experimental phase as far as where players will go,” he said. “We are asking them to do things they’d never done.”

The veteran players who have tasted success before have every intention of keeping Hill’s recent winning tradition alive. It may not come as easily as years past, but in a small CHSAA Staten Island division, it a matter of being ready for the postseason against rivals Notre Dame Academy and St. Joseph by the Sea. Siller believes that will be the case with this club.

“I think we are playing well now,” Ricca said. “We are just learning. From here, we can only get better.”